that an alien can bring a toward action for a violation of the law of nations. that is a civil lawsuits. so the question is, does this statute applies only to violations of the law of nations that are committed inside the united states, or does it apply anywhere in the world where they might have been committed? the law was largely forgotten until some human rights lawyers dusted it off and use it in their case where refugee sued the former police official who had tortured and killed members of her family. sharon into him in new york city -- she ran into him in new york city. she used the law and won. i don't think she has collected any damages yet. there have been some questions about how far that law extends. this situation is significant. the defendant is not just one official who committed a horrible act overseas but a giant corporation which is involved in oil in nigeria. whether a corporation can be sued but also whether an act that took place overseas belongs in the united states courts. host: ritchie, thank you for waiting. caller: 9 people telling us wh